First Prize,define: eroticism Poem, College
Miya Eberlein
UCLA
Sophomore (2016-17 Academic School Year)
Growing up Japanese American,
I knew camp did not mean summer camp
I knew that freedom did not come free
That my ancestors fought so I could be
Far away from barbed wire fences
I do not need to pack all my things in one suitcase
I do not need to leave my home
With the orange trees in the backyard
That they once had to say goodbye to
In history books
The uprooting of my family tree
The day 9066 was posted
Is but a small sentence in the book
It is an afterthought
Not even an apology
My friends they do not know
They do not know enough
Of the hot, cracked clay grounds
That my great grandparents speak about
The sore summer days of missing Okasan
Yearning for life back home
Separated from the world
Alien
So if the books do not speak
I teach them myself
Their eyes grow wide in horror
Why have we never learned about this?
I tell them more
About the loyalty
As we banded together
Even when our freedom was taken
We fought for the freedom of the nation
That is what they need to know…
—-
My name is Miya Eberlein and I am a rising junior at UCLA. I am studying molecular and cellular development biology, and I hope to one day become a dentist to help spread smiles to all. My favorite extracurricular activities include paddling for the UCLA Dragon Boat Team, as well as practicing taekwondo. I entered this contest because growing up as a Japanese American, I felt that the bravery of the Nisei soldiers during World War II was a topic that was rarely covered in any history course I took. I feel that their bravery and fortitude should be remembered and revered for generations to come.